Disney owns Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Gosalyn
Mallard, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Disney also owns Donald's sister
Dumbella, yet will also be known as Bella Widgeon, who in a way
is my character, her background is of my own design, because the
cartoon version didn't give her much of a background at all.
Gregory Widgeon, Melanie Widgeon, and Cindy Ganderquack are mine.
Please ask before you use these characters. Please forgive me if
I "Destroyed" any of Disney's characters...And if you
wish, please feel free to "nicely" tell me what I did
wrong...I would love the help, but please don't flame me.
Constructive Criticism is Welcome.Yes, the Webby to which
Louie is referring is in fact Webigal Vanderquack from Ducktales.
She has no relationship to Cindy Ganderquack except for the fact
their last names are kind of similar.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Before Donald and Daisy were married, they collectively bought
a fine house. It had four bedrooms, giving each teen duck his own
room. This was well appreciated because it will well known that a
teenager needs his privacy. Scrooge McDuck in a moment of rare
generosity bought each of the lads a new mini entertainment
system. Bella Duck Widgeon's arrival brought a new factor into
this busy household.

Giving away a bedroom was not an option.

Later That Night

"You know? There is one thing we did not think about,
Louie?" Dewey asked.

"What?"

"I know I am not giving up my room," answered Dewey.

"Heck no," Huey said.

"Well, duh...but where is mom going to sleep?"
commented Louie.

Donald felt the same way; none of the boys were going to give
up a room. Especially, since Bella just showed up with almost no
warning. For the night, Bella and Melanie would sleep in the
front room that night, on an areobed. Donald officially told
Bella that she could stay as long as needed. He wasn't entirely
thrilled with the idea, and Bella could tell.

The Next Day

The house was quite quiet after Donald and Daisy left for work
and the boys were at school. This was an amble time for Bella to
freshen up. She didn't have a bedroom at the moment, and the
extra privacy of being home alone appealed to Bella. She took a
shower, groomed herself a bit, and made herself a small
breakfast. Next up was the task to register Melanie to the local
elementary school. Melanie would need to adjust a bit since
hopefully her adapting skills would remain keen.

The rest of the day was quite boring. Well, not as if the
beginning of the day was any better, but anyway. She did the
morning dishes, made the boys beds, tidied up the messy living
room floor. No one in the household expected for her to do these
chores--well, not openly anyway-- but she felt like she owed it
to them.

She turned on the TV, and was admired to all the channels
Donald had. Back when she was married to Gregory, they had
several, many, many channels. Yet, during the time she stayed
with Cindy Ganderquack, her television options differed greatly.
It was a bad habit. Yet in a lonely life, the simple pleasure of
flicking channels could be surprisingly soothing.

Bella sighed, after few hours of lame talk shows, and tired
soap opera plots. She reached over and turned off the TV. Melanie
was in the other room taking a nap. Bella just required a few
quiet moments to think.

Melanie, as mentioned earlier, had an interesting knack for
change. She also understood the meaning of an alternative family.
As far as could remember, she lived with her divorced mother and
her "Aunt Cindy". She doesn't know her father. He never
wanted kids. It saddens Bella's heart when she realizes there was
a time that she did not mind. Her marriage to Gregory brought her
riches and popularity of which she could only dream. She had her
horse, her motorcycle, and her servants.

The turning point was just seven years ago. It was the
miscarriage. Bella missed that baby more than she thought was
ever possible. She knew in all her riches something; there was
something still that she was still missing in her life-- her
children.

So one night she called her boys, but they were not there. The
number she dialed was disconnected. It scared her. She did not
know what happened. Did Donald take off on her without telling
her? Did something happen to the boys? She didn't have another
number for Donald, and she lost connect with her other estranged
relatives years before.

Her great situation of three years was suddenly turning into
her worse nightmare.

* Flash Back *

"I want a divorce Gregory," Bella said.

Gregory caressed Bella's face. He didn't care for Bella's
children, but he always loved Bella...well, he loved her
appearance anyway.

So, Gregory and Bella got a divorce. Bella got nothing except
that which was already hers, such as her motorcycle. Not long
after the divorce was finalized, Bella found out that she was
pregnant once again. She never told Gregory about this child, his
child. Frankly she was not sure Gregory would even care.

The door flew open, and broke Bella's prolonged daydream.

"And then with two seconds left in the third
period..." Louie shouted.

Huey laughed, and adjusted a few stray feathers on his head.
"I know. I'm just the sweetest hockey player in
Duckburg!"

"Keep telling yourself that..." Dewey said with a
laugh.

Huey shook his head. "No, I'm bad and you know it."

"Glad you are admitting it!" taunted Dewey.

Huey backslapped Dewey on the shoulder.

Dewey stepped back, and laughed.

"Oh hi mom," he called.

"Hello boys, you guys had a hockey game? If I knew, I
would have come. It was good I assume?" she asked.

"Yeah Mom...it was..." Louie started.

"Well jeez mom," Huey stated. He had his index
finger hanging over his chin as if he was pondering something.
"Well, I supposed if you have been here for us more than two
seconds, you would have known!" Huey shouted.

Bella clenched her fingers and sighed.

"Enough, it's time to tell you all the truth. Your uncle
is not here right now, but hey, it might be better that way. And
Daisy..." Bella shouted, but then shook her head. "No,
no projecting blame or anger right now...You three sit
down."

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Well jeez mom," Huey stated. He had his index
finger hanging over his chin as if he was pondering something.
"Well, I supposed if you have been here for us more than two
seconds, you would have known!" Huey shouted.

Bella clenched her fingers and sighed.

"Enough, it's time to tell you all the truth. Your uncle
is not here right now, but hey, it might be better that way. And
Daisy " Bella shouted, but then shook her head.
"No, no projecting blame or anger right now You three
sit down."

"Oh yeah, right, yeah Mom, I wasn't here during your
first attempt of redemption, and you know what? It was
intentional. So I am just going to get my butt out of here,"
Huey announced.

"No, you don't!" Bella stated, grabbing Huey's
sleeve.

"Ah, now you are going to snoop to man-handling,
nice," Huey said.

"I thought we were getting along so well last
night," Bella began.

"Well," Huey said, with a sarcastic laugh, "I
was trying to deceive you. You know. All is fair in war, right?
Well, I mean. I don't buy your sugar sweet act, and I doubt I
ever will. When, I look at you, I just " Huey takes a
deep breath.

"Shh " Dewey whispers to Huey.

Huey gave Dewey the evil eye.

"Trust me," Dewey whispers back.

"Mom," Dewey said. "Huey is not the only one
that feels this way. I mean " Dewey sighs. "I
seriously want to try to build us up again, but, I also remember
how much we all missed you. We all handled the situation a
different way. It was easier for example for Louie to come to
believe that you were dead. I tried to ignore the fact myself.
That yes, you abandoned us. But, everyone deserves his or her day
in court. I guess today is yours."

"So are you are you all going to seat down now?"
Bella asked.

"Where's Melanie?" Louie asked.

"She's asleep, now please, you three have to hear the
truth," Bella began.

"It actually started eleven years ago. Your father
stopped giving me financial support for sometime then. I haven't
heard from him for two years. It was hard trying to raise three
young children on your own."

"That's when you march to the phone, get a lawyer, and
sue the deadbeat. But know, you are not smart enough for
that " Huey informed.

Bella pretended to ignore the comment.

"And then I met this man. He was handsome, kind, and
rich." Bella smiled. "He used to drown me with the
sweetest compliments. Your father never was a gentlemen like
this."

Bella laughed weakly.

"Well, I thought Gregory was a gentlemen. When I was in
high school, I thought I would be with your father forever. Isn't
that something a heartsick teenager would believe? He didn't stay
with me long after you three were born. I don't know if he was
scared of the responsibility or if he never really cared about
me. But, I wanted to be married one day. So, well, when I met
Gregory, this rich, handsome, gentlemen, I really wanted the
relationship to work. I was seeing wedding bells in just a few
weeks. I know now that I was foolish."

"You think?" Huey snarled.

"But, you had to know that he didn't like kids?
Right?" asked Dewey.

"I ignored it. At first it didn't seem to matter. We had
fun together. The five of us had fun together. That's why I
thought I could change him, you know? It was craziness. But I
guess he didn't care about children in a casual relationship. And
that's all we were for a while. The thing was that he didn't want
to be a father. It is no excuse, but I fell in love with this
inappropriate man. And for a time, he at least fell in love with
the idea of me. "

"Ah, so you just took off on your children, nice,"
stated Huey.

"He ultimately asked you to marry you, right?" Louie
assumed.

"Well, he ask me out for the weekend at this one resort.
So, I had your uncle watch you that weekend. I never thought that
would be the last time I saw you. We got married that very
weekend."

Bella lowered her head in shame. "But I wanted to. I told
myself it would only be during the Newly wed months. But then
months became years. By then I thought you three would be happier
where you were."

"We are," Huey said dryly. "You should have
stayed gone! Like I said before, I'm going."

"Wait!" Bella shouted. "That is not all I have
to say!"

"I dont care. We don't care. Don't we?"

"I want to hear all the truth Huey," Louie informed.

Huey shook his head. "Let me sum it up for you. She woke
up one day. Gregory left her for a new pretty thing. She cried
her little eyes out about some ten years late regret. And then
came a-fishing for our forgiveness. To little too late."

"No, that is not what happened," Bella insisted.

"Then tell us mom," exclaimed Dewey.

"I tried to call you seven years ago. Where were
you?" Bella asked.

"Why would you care where we were?" asked Huey.

"Wait you called us?" Dewey asked. "Why
didn't we "

"We were with Uncle Scrooge for four years, when Uncle
Donald went to the Navy. No one told you?" Louie gathered.

"Uncle Donald probably didn't trust you to be with a dog
then, we were better off where we were!" Huey stated.

"He was doing us a favor," Huey shouted, but he also
could not help to feel resentment that Donald made a choice for
them. But between the two, he will forever favor his uncle.

"So you couldn't find us. Did you even look hard enough
to generate any hits? What were you doing?"

"I was raising Melanie," Bella said.

"And not us?!?!" Huey shouted.

"She was alone. She had not one but me"

"So, because you had a brother that could raise us, you
didn't worry about us, eh? What about your husband!? Did he leave
you and his own child?"

"I already told you I had no excuse about leaving you.
But, yes, I lied to uncle; Gregory did not leave me. I left him.
I had miscarriage a few months before. The marriage was not
working out, all I could think of was my children: you three, and
your baby brother that never came to be. I was pregnant with
Melanie, but I didn't know yet. I didn't know until I got in my
second motorcycle/car accident. My last one caused the said
miscarriage. This time I was lucky, both Melanie and I were fine.
Luck was with me that night. The surgical nurse that worked on me
was unbelievably an old high school friend of mine, Cindy
Ganderquack. She took care of me through my rehab, my pregnancy,
and the aftermath. I was scared to confront you all after all
these years, but Cindy told me that I had to. So, here I am,
hoping we can know each other again. Begging that you will some
day forgive me."

Louie and Dewey looked at each other. They were not sure how
to react to all this. It was a lot to sink in.

"Why did you lie to Uncle Donald about who broke up you
and Gregory's marriage?" asked Dewey.

"I wanted sympathy. But I know I don't deserve it."

Huey laughed. "We won't just forgive and act like nothing
happened.

Dewey added. "This doesnt excuse you leaving in the
first place. Yet, I it is nice that we now know the truth."

"I know it does not," Bella admitted. "I made a
mistake. And I grave one to boot. But, I still pray that you can
forgive me. Louie?"

Louie sighed. "This just gets weirder and weirder. But
yes, I still want a mother." He gives her a hug. "I
will forgive but will not forget. Don't toy with our emotions
again."

"Never again," Bella promised.

"Good," Louie stated. He looked at his watch.
"I have to go. Have to pick up Webby. "I'll be back
later. Hopefully next Wednesday we can see you at the game?"

Louie waved and went out the front door.

" I think I'm going hop a bus to St. Canard since Louie
took our car. Later!" Huey informed.

"When did you learn to cook? And how did you get the kids
to clean the house?!

Bella laughed. "Long time ago. And you're welcome."

Donald shook his head. "No, you are welcome. I'm the one
that gave you an compliment."

Bella laughed again. "What is burning is your idea of a
compliment?"

Donald mumbled something under his breath. And left the room.

Bella sighed. Donald was always a brat, but at the moment she
couldn't complain much. She has barley talked to him in the last
ten years. She abandoned her children for him to raise, and her
she is living under his roof. Yet, their bickering a few seconds
ago was lighter than it has been the last few days. It reminded
her more of how it was when they were children.

They always had their arguments, like many families do. But,
they were also once very close. Bella knew she ruin this. Her
only hope was that bridge could be repaired.

"Where are the boys?" Donald later asked.

Bella paused for a second as she drained the noodles,
preparing them for the Alfredo sauce she was also preparing.

"They are all out. Dewey said something about going to a
movie with a friend. He left an hour ago. I asked him if could
wait for dinner, but he told me he would pick something at the
Hamburger Hippo. Louie left to pick up Webby, but that was a few
hours ago." Dumbella answered.

Donald sighed. "He knows it is a school night. He just
better be back by 10:30 or so. You said Louie is with Webby?
Maybe that means he's hanging at Uncle Scrooge's."

"She lives there?" Bella asked.

Donald nodded. "His housekeepers' granddaughter. Used to
be the boys nanny when "

Bella stared at him intensely when Donald cut off that
statement.

"Hmm? Please continue," she requested. "The
boys told me.."

Donald shook his head. "Don't judge me Dumbella, you have
no reason to talk."

Bella focused her eyes. "There's no draft Donald, you
chose to leave them just like I did."

"He ran out. To see a friend. Donald I told them the
truth about what happened. The whole thing," Bella
continued.

"The whole thing?" Donald repeated.

"Yes, things I didn't even tell you. How dare you leave
for the Navy and not tell me! I know I left but you always kept
me informed anyway. You left for the Navy to keep me from them,
didn't you?!?"

"Mommy," Melanie called out from the other room.
"Why are you yelling? Is Dinner ready? I'm hungry."

Bella turned away from Donald, and kneeled down to be eye
level with her daughter.

"Just about sweetie," Bella answered. "Do you
want to help Mommy sent the table? We are going to wait to see if
your brothers come home. Let's the get the table ready and then
you can help me make a salad."

Bella took Melanie's hand and lead her to the kitchen. She
turned around and glared at Donald.

"Later."

Donald rolled his eyes, took his shoes off, grabbed the
remote, and turned the television on.

Chapter 11

Daisy came in with some take out.

Donald shook his head.

"Dumbella is going to be upset about that. She made
dinner," Donald informed.

Daisy looked around, scanning the clean house.

Damn. This house hasn't been this clean since well,
since forever. Dusted?!

"Really? Did you tell her to? She's trying to make up for
leaving I trust the rest of the house is her doing
too."

"Probably," Donald said in mumbled voice.

"What about her sleeping arrangements, we can not have
her in the front room forever. What is your input on this?"
Bella demanded.

Donald sighed. "Shh my niece will hear you. That
poor child."

"What did she make?" Daisy added trying to change
the subject.

"Alfredo, and it smells good, put the hamburgers in the
fridge."

Daisy stared at Donald.

Donald stared at her back, an almost defeated look on his
face, he mumbled loudly, trying to press such feelings away.

"Are you okay Donald?" Daisy whispered. "I'm
sorry I just "

Donald shook his head. "I'm fine."

Some of the things Bella said did make sense. He left the boys
to join the navy. But still how dare she treat his case the same.
He didn't leave them to go off with a lover. He did it to serve
his country, and to learn what the world had to offer. It was
only for four years, and the boys had so much fun at Scrooge's
mansion. She told them the truth, the whole truth. What did she
not tell him? And why?

Donald sighed again. "Yeah, she found out about the Navy.
She seems to think that I purposely went to keep the boys from
her."

"That's not why you went," Bella protested.

"No, but I can see how she could see it that way. I
didn't give her the heads up that Uncle Scrooge had her,"
Donald explained. "I didn't even consider contacting
her."

"Did you even know where she was?" Daisy defended.

"No, but she gave me a cell phone number," he
admitted, turning his back on Daisy.

Daisy blinked. Donald was so upset about this. Bella was the
boys' own mother and she left them. Donald gave them a place to
stay and raised them. Daisy wrapped her arms around Donald's
chest, hugging him warmly.

You are their legal guardian.

You have legal custody.

You had no legal obligation to tell her where you or the
children were.

That is what she wanted to say, but she did not dare.

"It'll be alright," Bella promised.

"You can't promise that," Donald replied.

Daisy sighed. "Just don't be mad at yourself, okay? I'm
going to put this food away okay? I'll try to be nice and try
some of your sister's meal."

Daisy kissed Donald on the cheek. She then went into the
kitchen.

She opened the kitchen door.

"Wow, salad and garlic bread too?" she inquired out
loud.

"Yeah," Bella said from behind her.

Bella laughs nervously. "Sometimes cooking settles my
nerves. And I am proud to say I have come to be a little a good
at it."

"Well, it smells good," Daisy said in a warmer tone,
attempting to be a little more civil.

Bella smiled. "Thanks."

She turns around and grabs a few plates from the cupboard and
some silverware. She then sends them on the table.

"We should talk," she stated, in tone that was more
like a pleading request then anything else. "Donald you
too," she continued. "Need to tell you what happened
that six years ago."

"Thanks for picking me up Louie," Huey said.

Louie waved his hand dismally. "Hey no problem dude. You
don't need to be hopping a bus this time at night."

Huey shrugged his shoulders. "Not like I haven't
before."

Louie nodded. "But still. Especially with what we found
out tonight."

Huey stared at Louie with narrow eyes.

"Let's not bring this up," he warned.

"A long of stuff has happened to her the last seven
years," Louie starts.

Huey clenched his fists, holding back anger.

"Louie, I mean it," he said again.

"But Huey, she miscarried. We can not even imagine how
heartbreaking that can be "

"Not having us didn't mean much to her," Huey said
in a cold voice. "End this. Have your debate with Dewey when
we get home."

"But she admitted that she was wrong," Louie
protested. "She wants to make it up to us."

"It's too late."

"No it isn't. Do you really want to wait until it
is?"

Daisy placed her hand over her month.

"You had a miscarriage?" she said. "Oh
Gosh I'm so sorry."

Donald just stared wide-eyed for a moment.

"Bella, why? Why didn't you tell me?" Donald asked.

Bella stared at back at him for second.

Damn It was the phone call. She wanted to tell him
that night. If only he gave her a number to call. But still, why
the story about Gregory leaving her? Whoa was that why he
left her? Did she leave him because she miscarried? What an ass?!
Wait, didn't he never want kids in the first place? Did he leave
her when she was pregnant? Was she all alone the day she lost the
baby? Wait, but what about Melanie? Did he leave her when she got
pregnant the second time? Oh man

As if she was telepathic, she began to answer some of his
unasked questions.

"You know Gregory didn't want kids even before I realized
that. He did not know about either pregnancy. I lost my fourth
son, fairly early in my pregnancy. He never noticed. I mourned
his death more than I ever imagined I would. The marriage got
unbearable. I wanted to have more children. And I had good reason
to believe it would not happen. So I left. I left my 'perfect'
world behind. I got myself in another accident. Pretty bad. I was
in coma for awhile. Rehab for months. I was pregnant at the time.
My Melanie was a miracle. Truly was. It was rough. I didn't
recover for months, heck years."

Donald closed his eyes.

The pain Bella must have felt. And now he treated her so.
Gosh, he wished she allowed him to share some of this burden. She
shouldnt have done this alone.

"I wasn't alone," she revealed. "You remember
Cindy Ganderquack? She was even here the other day. She was with
me. She saved me."